Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-10-29
CHAPTER XXI.
now UMsLopoaAAs HELD THE STAIR

We look at one another
"Thou seest,n said, "they have taken away
the door, is there aught with which we may
I'LL the place' Speak quickly for they will be
on'usere the daylight" spoke thus, because
] knew that we must hold this place or none,
as there were no inner doors in the palace, the
rooms being separated one from another by
curtains. l also knew that If we could by
any means defend this doorway the murderers
could get la nowhere else for the palace is
absolutely impregnable, that is, since the
secret door by which Sorais had entered on
that memorable night of attempted murder
had, by Nyleptha's order, been closed up with
masonry
al have it," said Nyleptha, who, as usual
with her, rose to the emergency in wonder
full way "On the farther side OF the court
yard are blocks of cut marble the workmen
brought them there for the bed of the new
statue of mcubu, my lord let us block the
door with them"
jumped at the idea; and having dispat he'd
one Of the remaining maidens down the great
stair to sec IL she could obtain assistance from
the docks below, where her father, who was
great merchant employing many men, had
his dwelling place, and set another to watch
tlnaagh the doorway, we made our way back
across the courtyard to where the hewn
marble lay, and here we met Kara returning
from dspatching the first two messengers.
I here were the marble blocks, sure enough,
bror.l, massive Jumps, some six inches thick,
and weighing about eighty pounds EACH and
there, too, were couple of implements like
small stretchers that the workmen used to
carry them on. Without delay we got some
OF the blocks on to the stretchers, and four Of
the girls carried them to the doorway
Listen, Macumazahn," said Umslopogaas
"if these low fellows come, it Is l who will
hold the stair against them till the door is
built NJ. Nay, nay, it viii be mans death,
| gainsay me not, old friend. 1t has been a
good day, let il now be good night. See, |
throw myself down TO rest on the marble
there, when their footsteps are nigh, wake
thou me, not before, for need my strength, ,
and without word he went outside and
| flung himself down OH the marble and was
instantly asleep
| AT this time |, too, was overcome and was
| forced to sit down by tie doorway and con
tent myself with directing operations. The
| girls brought the blocks while Kara and Ny
lptha built them across the six foot wide
/ doorway, triple row of them, for less would
| he useless But the marble had to be brought
forty yards and there were forty yards to run
back, and though the girls labored gloriously
even Staggering along alone, each with 4
block in her arms, it Was slow work, dread
fully slow.
The light was growing now, and presently
| in the silence we heard Il connection at thu
far off bottom of the sJair and the fam
clanking OF armed men As yet the wall wa,
only two feet high, and we had been eigh
minutes at the building Of it, So they haC
come. Alphonse had heard Alright.
The clanking sound came nearer and in tb'
ghostly gray of the da wing we could maxi
out long flies of men, some fifty or so in all
slowly creeping up the stair. They were nov
at the half way standing place that reste;
on the great flying arch, and here perceivinl
that something was going on above, they, b
our q eat gain, halted for three or four min
utes and consulted, then slowly and eau
tously advanced again.
We had been nearly quarter of an hou
at the work now, and it was almost three fee
high.
Then woke Umslopogaas. The grea
man rose, stretched himself and swung In
Epsi kaas round his head.
SIT is wellr he said 81 feel as youn
man once more. My strength has come back +
ME, ay, even as lamp flares up before
dies Fear not, shall fight good fight
the wine and the sleep have put a new hear
into me.
"Macumazahn, have dreamed dream
dreamed that thou and stood together o
n star and looked down on the world, an
thou vast as a spirit, Macumazahn, for ligt
famed through thy flesh, but could not Sc
WIFI: was the fashion Of my own face. Til
hour has come for us, old hunter. So he Il
we have had our time, but would that in
l had seen some more such fights as yeste
days.
@Let them bury me after tho fashion {
my people, Macumazahn, snd set my ey,
toward Zululand; y and he took my hand al
shook it, and then turned to face the .,
vancing foe.
Just then, to my establishment, the 2
Vendi officer Kara clambered over our II
provised wall in his quiet, determined sort
way, and took his stand by the Zulu, u
sheathing his sword as he did so. ~
"what, contest thou tool" laughed out Z
old warrior.
: "wslcome-a welcome to thee, brave heal